| Exploration robotics has traditionally utilized an encoder-decoder model of communication between users and a robot. This means that users construct a plan (sequence of actions) to be sent to the robot; the robot executes the plan and returns data to the users, who then construct another plan. The problem with this interaction paradigm is twofold: (1) users must develop a complex mental model of the robotic system in order to create intricate plans, and (2) the robot does not have the users' specialized domain knowledge, so the robot does not have any way to ensure that how it handles unexpected events in the field is consistent with the users' goals (what the users are trying to accomplish).;A proof of concept study was conducted which compared the effects of an encoder-decoder planning system and a prototype robot proxy; the study suggested that using the robot proxy resulted in improved task efficiency and fostered feelings of collaboration. A full implementation of a robot proxy was constructed and evaluated. The results indicated that participants who used the robot proxy were more efficient at the task, collected higher-quality data, and possessed more accurate information about the robot's state and context than participants without a robot proxy. The results suggest that the implementation was successful at promoting common ground with the user, resulting in improved task performance.;Because the cost of communication with the remote robot is extremely high, this work introduces the concept of a "robot proxy," a software system which models both the robot's capabilities and the user's goals. The robot proxy interacts with the user in real-time in place of the robot so as to promote mutual knowledge between the two. This process, referred to as Robot-Proxy Grounding, is a novel interaction model for exploration robotics derived from Herbert Clark's theory of common ground and from detailed observations and analysis of the Life in the Atacama exploration robotics project. This analysis indicated that the majority of the errors and miscommunications which occurred during the project were related to a lack of common ground between participants. |
